Jharkhand CM Soren urges PM Modi to reconsider mining bill, flags impact on State’s finances

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which restricts states' powers to levy taxes on mineral rights. Soren argues that this bill would severely reduce Jharkhand's fiscal space, impacting its ability to fund development, welfare, and social security initiatives, given that mining revenue constitutes a significant portion of the state's non-tax revenue. He highlighted the social and environmental costs borne by the state due to extensive mining and cited a Supreme Court judgment affirming states' legislative competence to tax mineral lands. The CM called for consultations with mineral-producing states and suggested a GST Council-like mechanism for resolution, reserving the state's right to pursue legal remedies.